18 ✓

TWENTY-FOUR

"I don't wanna go to dance!" The tiny six-year-old yelled, stomping her foot on the ground as she pouted her bottom lip.

"Lily," Delilah said calmly, crouching down to be eye-level with her daughter. "What's wrong? You were so excited to go only a few hours ago."

Lily collapsed onto the ground, letting out a wail of tears. She was an adorable kid and all but seeing this miniature tantrum of hers as she shrieked her cries at the highest volume possible, was the best form of birth control I could have ever asked for.

It was also a welcomed distraction away from what I had done only a few seconds ago.

I went along with his plan.

Without realizing it, I had agreed to the most stupid, idiotic, absurd thing ever imaginable. It wasn't like I could go back on my word. What could I even say?

"Oh, hey, Delilah. I know I just introduced myself to Ethan's brother. Funny story, we actually dated a few years ago, fell in love, the whole thing. He disappeared. Came back eighteen months later. I thought I fell in love with him again. But then he showed up here and pretended like he didn't know me and I'm so fucking stupid I thought I didn't know him either. Anyway, more wine?"

That didn't roll off the tongue quite well. Or make me look sane.

"Thank you." The sound of Hunter's voice pulled me out of my crazed thoughts and brought me back down to reality.

Although, this version of reality felt just as insane as what was running through my head.

I quickly looked to the living room where Delilah and Ethan were too occupied trying to bargain with their crying child to hear our conversation or notice us to begin with.

"Seriously, Dylan, I can't thank you-"

"Shut up," I muttered.

Hunter's eyes widened, clearly taken aback by my sudden comment. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't thank me. I don't want to hear it." My words dripped with anger, which had apparently become a favoured tone of mine whenever he was near. "I didn't do this for you. I did it for her," I pointed towards Lily, who at the moment was not in the best state to use as my example.

"Fine. I take it back. I don't thank you then. Is that better?"

I forced a smile. "Much." My eyes glanced down, noticing how close his hand had inched towards mine on the counter. "Don't get too comfortable," I said as I pulled my hand away, "I have rules."

"Of course. I'm all ears."

Lily let out another wail of a cry. The timing of her tantrum was so well timed, I began to wonder if she was in on this little scheme too.

"First rule... when the time is right, you and I will have a talk and I want all of my questions answered," I told him in a hushed tone. "Second, at any point during this little trip when you can go away and leave me alone, do it. I'll be civil with you in public but only when I have to be."

A grin played on his lips. "I'd expect nothing less."

"Third, talk less."

He raised his hand to his mouth, mimicking a zipper over his lips and threw away the invisible key.

I tapped my fingers against the counter, trying to think of another thing to add. Surprisingly, creating such a list was not something I had prepared ahead of time.

"How long is this list going to be?"

"Didn't I just tell you to talk less?" I snapped, averting my eyes as I continued to think. "You have a girlfriend."